Festival of Opiconsivia

August 25

(Roman) Ancient: VIII Kal. Sept.
The Opiconsivia is a festival for Ops Consiva (Plentiful Sowing), who is identified with “Terra (Earth) who
supplies all resources (omnes opes).” It follows by four days a festival for Consus (as does Ops’
festival on Dec. 19). The sacrifice is conducted by the Rex Sacrorum (King of Holy Things), who wears the
suffibulum (white veil), and by the Vestal Virgins, who are his symbolic daughters. They are the only ones allowed
to enter the sacrarium (shrine) of Ops, whither they bring offerings of the fruits of the earth on a praefericulum
(“that which is born in front”), a kind of broad bronze basin without handles.